With Elijah Mitchell nursing a hamstring injury and Christian McCaffrey out for a few weeks due to a calf strain, the San Francisco 49ers are lacking in running backs.
The team signed running back Ke’Shawn Vaughn and wide receiver Jontre
Kirklin to one-year contracts prior to Wednesday’s practice. Release of safety Erik Harris and the waiver of wide receiver Terique Owens, who left practice early on Tuesday with what appeared to be an injury, were the equivalent actions made to create space.
Kirklin (6-0, 184) made his NFL debut on May 13, 2022, when he signed as an undrafted free agent with the Arizona Cardinals. Kirklin has been a member of the practice squads of the Cardinals (2022) and New Orleans Saints (2022–24) throughout his two years in the NFL.
During his five seasons at Louisiana State University (2017–21), Kirklin, a 25-year-old product of Lutcher, Louisiana, played in 57 games (three of which he started) and hauled in 20 receptions for 313 yards and three touchdowns in addition to 13 carries for 67 yards.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers selected Vaughn (5-10, 214) in the third round (76th overall) of the 2020 NFL Draft. In 43 games (one start) over his four-ye
Vaughn, who is 27 years old and from Nashville, Tennessee, attended the University of Illinois from 2015 to 2017 before spending three seasons (2017–20) at Vanderbilt University. During his time there, he made 46 appearances (29 starts), gained 3,296 yards and 30 touchdowns on the ground through 572 carries, and added three touchdowns through the air with 67 receptions.
Harris (6-2, 225) joined the team on November 28, 2023, when he first signed. On May 6, 2024, Owens (6-3, 200) joined the organization as an undrafted rookie free agent.
ar NFL career, Vaughn has gained 384 yards (3.7 average) and two touchdowns on the ground from 103 runs, along with 14 receptions for 81 yards (5.8 average) and one touchdown through the air. Vaughn made six appearances in 2023, logging 24 carries for 42 yards on the ground in addition to two receptions for two yards in the air.